Wing Commander turns 77

[{"selector":"#anim-c93e7dea-f2ab-433c-8873-a5c66501ec7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6ffb27c-0e53-44b3-976b-3844e2a1b451","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.04759%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00e44144-78de-46dd-8c0b-6c37f7c7c85d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Born 13 Jan 1949 in Patiala, Punjab, Wg Cdr Rakesh Sharma is India's first man in space Photo: X/@IN_Archives

[{"selector":"#anim-030f2c00-6038-4da8-8f63-c48a60787daa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb4f7f2f-0af3-4659-a3c1-d20bb8ed04e0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.05394%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f6ed98c-636a-4d04-85a7-200fa8752eb9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Joined Indian Air Force in 1970 and was a f ighter pilot in 1971 war flying MiG-21s and completing 21 combat missions during the Indo-Pakistani War (Bangladesh Liberation War) Photo: IANS

[{"selector":"#anim-595f3240-1b4a-4c0c-b4d6-a4e30db07494","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17d77fb8-793c-4c06-bbab-4562ad475f66","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.04759%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f36f395b-3265-4415-980f-2f8a3861cc23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Selected in 1982 for Soviet Intercosmos mission Photo: X

[{"selector":"#anim-efbd44ee-64ad-40c4-adf2-a3a12a1ce352","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ece57be4-8875-425f-bfd2-e01d550b2dbc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.04759%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69817088-4285-41a9-b88c-1ec790574db2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Flew on Soyuz T-11 on 3 Apr 1984 7 days, 21 h, 40 min aboard Salyut-7 Photo: X

[{"selector":"#anim-9864f5a2-dd56-45f4-8a6e-d0ce1e7bca35","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d79f21e8-e20b-4afa-8e7c-d29d96ed2e50","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.04759%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-317331c8-a77a-407c-b65c-0bbd40f2d995","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Asked how India looked from space — He said: “Saare Jahan Se Achcha” Photo: NASA

[{"selector":"#anim-7a259d0a-9836-4e72-9649-75398685b240","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b16cbe1-eec2-45c6-b742-ee1bf8c4bf95","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 101.20051%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-006d0f85-15d9-4503-b6c3-7174a38ef479","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Honoured with the Ashoka Chakra (India) in 1985 Hero of the Soviet Union Photo: X/@@IAF_MCC

even at 77 today, he inspires generations

[{"selector":"#anim-05099253-b056-4b8b-b2e3-f84cc1a2541b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.80791027188775%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read more